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Safety note

Text der Sicherheitsmitteilung

Safety note

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Safety note

During a test release of the reserve parachute a harness defect was noted which prevented deployment of the inner container.

Investigations revealed that the splint attachment hole (circled in the photo) became caught between the outer container flap and the material sleeve through which the splint release passes (marked 2 in photo). This prevented the splint from releasing correctly (marked 4 in photo). The manufacturer says this is due to a production defect during sewing.

As other Bix Harnesses from Woody Valley may also have this defect, the manufacturer together with the DHV issues the following airworthiness safety advisory:

All owners of the above harness should make a test deployment of the reserve parachute from the harness, if necessary under instruction at a flying school. Should normal deployment not be possible, then the owner should contact a Woody Valley dealer, the Woody Valley general importer or the manufacturer directly.

The test deployment must be performed before the next flight with the harness.

Trento, 15.06.2010

Simone Caldana
WOODY VALLEY
via Vienna 92
loc. Spini, settore D
38121 Trento - ITALY

Safety note

During routine checks it has been determined that the protector fastening on a Flex Easy2 harness has been attached to the wrong part of the harness. Due to this, the protector can slide up on impact, and offer little or no protection to the lower spine.

Picture 1. Correct protector attachment. Velcro attachment prevents protector sliding up on impact.	Picture 2. Incorrect protector attachment. Velcro attachment does not prevent protector from sliding up on impact.

The manufacturer SOL Sports issues together with the DHV the following safety advisory:

Owners of harnesses with incorrect velcro attachment placements are requsted to contact the manufacturer or German importer. SOL Sports has prepared a kit which secures the protector correctly as in picture 1. The kit and assembly instructions will be sent free of charge on demand to harness owners and can be mounted by pilots themselves.

The kit should be applied before the harness is used for further flying.

Safety note

This advisory is valid for approx. 50 speed bars of model name free*spee - constructed with stainless steel channels for the accelerator lines at connection to the bar (see Picture 1). This version of the speed bar was only sold by free*spee GbR in October 2009, mainly at the Free Flight Tegelberg trade fair.

Picture 1

All other models of the free*spee are constructed without the stainless channeling, and not part of this advisory.

It is possible that the stainless steel channeling mounted on the speed bar may have sharp edges left on it after production. This may lead to increase wear and tear on the accelerator lines, and premature failure.

free-spee GbR has issued the following safety advisory:

free-spee GbR advises all pilots using the above speed bar to check the accelerator line for wear and tear. Should the lines be damaged, then the speed bar should be exchanged. If sharp edges on the stainless channeling are present, then the speed bar should also be exchanged.

free-spee GbR advises all pilots to exchange this model of the speed bar for another.

free*spee GbR offer an exchange free of charge. .

Neuenrade, 04.12.09

Safety note

UP Pico XS, DHV GS-01-1743-08
UP Pico S, DHV GS-01-1737-08
UP Pico M, DHV GS-01-1744-08
UP Pico L, DHV GS-01-1761-08
UP Pico XXS, with no type test certificate

This advisory is for the above models revision 01, which can be recognised via the serial number: e.g. Pico M: XA45M-01-… . The bold number indicates the revision. Picos with revision -02- have Aramid lines and are not addressed in this advisory.

This advisory is for the above models revision 01, which can be recognised via the serial number: e.g. Summit XC-M: XC07M-01-… .The bold number indicates the revision. Summit XCs with revision -02- have Aramid lines and are not addressed in this advisory.

This advisory is for all Trangos 3 models..

The above models are fitted with Dyneema lines from the Liros DC-Series. During usage, these lines may shrink, particularly on the C and D galleries. Shrinkage is greater on gliders exposed to high temperatures (e.g. from laying out on hot ground) and which have been flown at the lower end of their weight ranges. Shrinkage can be noted though start difficulties, and reduced trim speed while flying.

UP International GmbH has issued the following safety advisory:

UP International GmbH advises all owners of the above models to exchange the Dyneema Liros middle and top lines of the C and D galleries. Owners may receive a new set of Aramid lines free of charge. To exchange the lines, we advise contact with a local flying school or service partner. Owners should contact UP International GmbH or a dealer immediately.

Garmisch Partenkirchen, 18.08.2009

Christian Rönning

UP International GmbH
Kreuzeckbahnstraße 7, D-82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Tel.: + 49-8821-73099-0, Fax.: + 49-8821-73099-16
www.up-paragliders.com
info@up-paragliders.com

Airworthiness advisory

Two paraglider pilots have sent their reserves to the DHV for examination. While being re-packed it was noted, that the outside of the inner-container was covered with a thin layer of a sticky substance. In one case, the reserve was stuck so tightly, that a deployment was only possible after physically peeling the outer-container from the inner-container. It is most probable, that an emergency deployment in flight would not have been possible. Both reserves had not been re-packed at the scheduled intervals recommended by the manufacturer (one 10 months, the other 26 months).

The manufacturer of the material used for the inner-container explained the chemical process believed to be responsible for this behaviour: should the outer-container be made from a fabrik with a polyester coating, a migration of the softening components may occur, resulting in a partial dissolution and more or less sticky substance.

The two cases investigated involved reserves from Finsterwalder/Charly. Due to the large variety of reserves and harnesses, and the resulting combinations of inner- and outer-containers, it is probable that reserves from other manufacturers will also be affected.

Due to this, the DHV issued the following airworthiness directive:

At every scheduled re-pack of a hang- or paraglider reserve canopy, the inner- and outer-containers are to be checked for the presence of a sticky substance. Should such a substance be determined, even in small amounts, then the manufacturer(s) of the inner- and outer-containers must be contacted and a replacement containers are to be used.

Reserve canopies suffering from sticky-degredation of their inner- and outer-containers do not meet airworthiness requirements, and are not to be used for flights more than 50 meters above ground level.

Gmund, 06.08.09

Karl Slezak
DHV Saftey Manager

Safety note

The main hang-loop attachment failed on an Icaro 2000 hangglider (with King post). The failure resulted from the sharp edges of the eyelet used in the webbing. The failure occured during flight, but had no further consequences, as the backup hang-loop immediately took over.

The particular eyelets have been used by Icaro 2000 in their products for 20 years. This is the first failure. Control checks have shown that in a very few cases, sharp edges may be present where these eyelets have been placed. Icaro 2000 have immediately stopped using this type of eyelet.

Together with the DHV, Icaro 2000 issue the following safety note:

All customers who have a king-post hangglider with a serial number of 8703 or less, must check the hang-loop eyelets for sharp edges. Defective hang-loops must be replaced.

This check must be performed before the next flight.

Hang-loops can be obtained from Fly & More GmbH

Flintsbach, 05.08.2008

Wolfgang Kaiser
Fly & more GmbH
Hochriesstraße 1, D-83126 Flintsbach
Tel. +49(0)8034 - 909 700, Fax 909 701
www.fly-more.com
office@fly-more.com